Improvement in horse-rakes



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J. C. STODDARD, Oli` WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS Letters Patent N 100,950, dated DIarch l5. 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE-RAKES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patet and making part of the name.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. G. Srolmann, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved Horse- Rake 5' and I do hereby declare thatI the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, rei'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings aml to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to anew and useful improvement in l1orserakes of that class which are provided with wire teeth; and

It consists in a novel way'of attaching the teeth to the rake-head or bar, as hereafter fully shown and described, whereby the teeth may be readily attached to and detached from the said head or bar, wit-hout looseningany nuts or fixtures thereon, and the teeth rendered capable of being adjusted relatively with each4 other and the rake-head or bar with the greatest facility.

The invention also consists in a novel application of' springs to the teeth, as hereinafter fully shown and set forth, whereby the teeth are keptto a proper working position, and allowed to yield or give, to oonform to any inequalities of surface over which they may pass, and at the same time be properly supported and prevented from having any lateral play or movement.

In thc acconipanyiug sheet ot' drawings- Figure 1 a plan or top view of my invention Figure 2, a detached plan or top view ot' a portion ofthe same;

Figure 3, a side View; and

Figure 4, a rear view ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspmnling parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will pmcecd to Adescribe it.

A represents'a portion ot' the rakediead or bar, to which the teeth are attached; and

B represents one of a series ot' cast-metal heads or stocks, vwhich are secured to the rake-head or har A,

At the rear end of the base c there is au uprig ht plate, f, which is provided with a right-angular slot or opening, y g', as shown clearly in tia. 4.

D is a rake-tooth, constructed oi' a piect` of round steel wire, curved, as shown in 3, and having its upper end bent in vtlux form of a siunicirclc or hook,

h, to tit around the cylindrical portion b of the head, between it and the cross-bar or guarde, said hook extending around a little more than halt the circumference ot' b.

l] is a spring, which is also made of a piece ol'steet wire ot' the same, or about the same diameter as the tooth, and having its upper part ot' cylindrical form, and bent iu hook-shape, as shown at l1', to tit around the cylindrical portion b of the head B, in .the same way as the tooth, and directly by the side of it.

l desire to direct especial attention to this fea-ture, the angular slot r/ I/,in the piu-tf. lt willbe seen, upon inspection ot' the drawings, that the spring l and tooth l) lock each other securelyY iu place in the horizontal portion ot' the slot, entirely preventing lateral movement, and at thc same time permitting the ready attachment and detachment ofthe teeth.

The lower part ot'this spring may be Hatte-ned, and it is bent or curved so as to catch or hook over the tooth at any proper distance from the Vupper end ol' the latter, as shown at t.

The hooks t/z,`ot' the tooth and spring, till thc space on l), between its two anges I (l.

The spring l is titted or passes through the hori-' zontal part rl' otf the slot or opening iu the upright plate f, and the tooth l) is fitted or passes through the vertical party of said slot or opening.

The tooth, it will bc seen, is allowed to rise and fall in the part ',f/ of the slot or opening, but the spring E cannot rise iu the part y', and, consequently, the latter keeps the tooth down to its work, but allows it to yield or give to any inequalities ot' surface over which it may pass.

'This spring may, if' necessary, have one or more couvolutions or coils to increase its elasticity. l do not confine myself' to any particular shape t'or said spring.

All the parts above described as comprising the cast-metal head B are cast in one piece, the base c is secured to the rake-head by the bolts (t a. passing entirely through it, the holesj in the base being cousidcrably larger in diameter than the bolts, to admit of a'certain degree ot' adjustment of the head B in securing it to the rake-head or bar C.

.By this arrangement it willhe seen that tue teeth may be secured to the lake-head or bar l, with the greatest iacility, and all at a proper and equal distance apart,ai.ul I arallelwit-h cach other; and, iu case The spling and tooth being fitted in and attached to the same head B, in adjusting one the other is similarly adjusted at the same time. Thisis a great advantage over the old mode of attachhg rake-teeth, where the teeth and springs are secured to separate bars or parts, which require to be adj usted separately' whenever the position of the teeth requires tobe adj usted, and which also have separate supporting-frames for the teeth. I am aware that it is not new to fol-ln a hook at the inner end of the tooth of a horse Ahay-rake, but so far as I know, it has heretofore been always necessary to rem'ove the bolt over which the tooth is hooked, when it is desired to' change the tooth.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The head B, provided with a cylindrical portion, b, and a projecting portion, f, having a right-angular slot or opening, g g', through which, the tooth and spring pass, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the tooth D and spring E, with the cylindrical portion b and slot g g', all constructed and arranged substantially as herein set forth.l

' J. C. STODDARD.

Witnesses:

H. O. Rien, A. H. DANIELS. 

